Chick-feeder.



F. ENOS, Jn.

CHICK FEEDER.

APPLICATION man AUG. 12. 1914.

1,138,365. latented May 4, 1915.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK ENOS, JR., O]? NORWICH, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB. T0 TEE NORWICE AUTO- MATIC FEEDER COMPANY, O]? NORWICH, CONNECTICUT, A COBPORATION O]? CON- NECTICU'I.

CHICK-FEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4;, 1915.

T0 all wlmm- 1't may ooncern Bo it known that I, FRANK ENOS, J r., a citizen of the United Stabes, residing at Norwich, county of New London, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new und useful Improvements in (hick-Feeders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact desoription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make und use the same.

This invention relates to the subject o'f feoders for poultry und the like, and the inain object of the same is to .produce a feeder that is composed of few parts which axe Ieadily separable so that cleaning is facilitated, a nd also to produce a feeder in which simple and effeotive means are provided for preventing the poultxy climbing into the feeder; splashing or otherwise displacing the food from the feeder, and to provide simple ahd efl'ective means for protecting the food within the feeder as well as the stock being fed during inclement weather.

A simple and preferred exnbodiment of the feeder is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved feeder. F'g. 2 is a transverse sectionnl view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the guard f01' the feeder.

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of one of the supporting standards for the feeder.

The improved feeder comprises in its genernl org.ianirmtion n trouqh l whioh may be of cyllndricul or other proferrd shapo md which has the longitudinal odges of its open top portion projecting inwardly, as indicated at 2 to serve as splash guaxds so that displacement of the food by the poultry incidental to feding is prevenlzed. A couveniont manner of forming the splash gixards 2 is by abrupbly curving inwardly the longitudinal edges of the open top of the trough 1, but it is to be understood that any other manner of slmping said longitudinal edges of the trough opening so that they overhang the interior of the trough is cousidered to be well within the scope of the invention.

The trough 1 is mounted upon end standards 3. sai(l standnrds boing riVeted or otherwise fastenod to The onds 'of the trough, and

are prefemhly Httened on theix innor surfaces so that they lie firmly againstthe encls of the trough. The lower portions of the standards are provided with flattened feet 4 that project transversely beyond the sides of the trough so that they may rast firmly on fhe ground 01 other surface, und said feet are also provided with notches o1 tl1e like 4 adjacent one of tl1eir longitudinal edges so that they may receive screws o1 other fasteners 5 to detaohably fasten the feet to a base support 6, which, in the present instance, has been shown as a board.

The upper portions of the standards 3 projoct weil above the trough 1 and are cantrally disposed relative to the ends of said trough and are provided with longitudinal grooves 3". Preferably the grooves 3 are formed in tl1e inner surfaces of the standards 3 and extend down the standards fa.r enough to cause their lower portions to be overlapped by the ends of the trough, the arrangement being such that the lower end portions of the grooves and the ends of the trough coperate to produce sockets, as will be explained.

A guard 7 is provided for preventing the poultry olimbin-g into the trough 1, the guardv being pre fembly formed of' a single length of wire that; extends' centrally and longitudinally a short distance above the trough opening. The guard is preferably formed of wire that is of too small a diameter to permit the poultry using the same as a perch, und ab its ends, is shaped to provide upsbnnding roof supports 8 which may be of an invert ed U-shape, the engl, o1 ouber, e 9 of which slidably etigag'e th'e grboves 3" of the staridards 3 und extend into the sockets f0rmed by said grooves and the ends of the trough. This arrangement reudily permits the removal or replacement of the guard. The gua.rd is preferably of such a longth tlu1t. it. isnocessary to slightly contract the bends in its ends to seat the legs 9 in the grooves 3", a feature of the invention that is desirable in that when so seated, the oxpansion of said bends causes the legs 9 to bind in the grooves 3 und thereby firmly retain the guard in its trough-protecting position.

A'removable roof 10 is provided for the feeder, the roof being preferably formed of sheet metal and of a triangular shape and is of a size that it overhangs the endsand sides of the feeder in spaced relation. The iuaer surface of the roof at its apex is'provided with spring clips 11 which snap over the supports 8 and thereby retain the roof in trough-sheltering position.

The poultry feeder can be used in comnection with all kinds and sizes of poultry and is also cupable of being used in connection with animals. It has been found to be of great utility in connection with the feeding .of young poultry where it is desirable to feed the young poultry separate from the old poultry. In such connection, the feeder is runde small, and the guard 7 is so disposed relative to the opening in the trough that large poultry cannot obtain access to the trough.

The use of the min top 10 is of special utility in inclement weather for it entirely covers the trough 1 and its overhanging projections protect the feed within the trough. It is a weil known fact that thousands of young chicks am lost annually from the spoiling qf a feed commonly known as mash which, in the ordinary. feed boxes. is wet by sudden showers in the spring and then soured 0r spoiled by a clear bot sun, and the protection aflorded by the roof 10 obviates this common trouble to the poultryman. It will also be apparent that the roof acts as an additional preventiv a.gainst older poultry obtaining access to the trough. The roofbeing removable, the same can be readily disengaged from the supports 8, thus admitting of thorough cleaning of the trough when necessary.

What I clairn as new is 1. A feeder comprising a trough, standards carried by the ends thereof and having supporting feet. said standards projecting above the trough and provided with longitudinal grooves, a guard extending longitudinally abo\e the trough and provided with roof supports at its ends which terminate in legs adapted to be detaohably se nted in said grooves, and a roof adapted to everhang the sides and ends of the trough and having means for diatach-ably engaging the roof supports.

2. A feeder comprisin a trough having the longitudinal edges o its opening projecting inwardly to form splash guards, standards supporting the trough and provided with guard seats, and a guard extending ce'ntrally and longitudinnlly of the trough-opening and detachably engaging.

said seats.

-3. A feeder comprising a troi1g'h, standards carried by the ends thereof and provided with means which coperate with the ends of the t1ougli to form g'uard sockets, and a guard for preventing poultry climbing into thetrough and provided with end legs that seat in said sockets.

guard extending longitudinally of and in proximity to the trough 0 ening=and l1&ving its end portions provide with upstanding roof Supports and terminating in legs that engage the seats, and a roof provided with means for detachably engaging the supports.

5. A feeder comprising a txough, standards therefor provided with flat feet that extend transversely of and project beyond the trough, said feet being provided with openings for the reception of fasteners, the standards projecting above the trough and being provided with guard seats, and a. guard engaging the sea.ts.

6. A feeder comprising a trough, standards carried by the ends thereof, said standards projectin above the trough and being provided witl i longitudinal grooves the lower portions of which coperate with the ends of the trough to form sockets, a.nd a guard extending centrally and longitudinally of and in proximity to the trough opening and having end legs that slidably vided with guard seats, a guard formed oft resilient r'natoxial and extending nbove and longitudinally of the top of the trough, the guard having its end portions b'ent into substa.ntially inverted U-shape upright roof supports that termina.te in legs for engaging said seats, and a roof provided with means for engaging said supports.

9. A feeder comprising a trough, standards carried by the trough and provided with guard seats. a guard extending over the trough und having its onds seated in said seats, said guard having roof supports adjacent its ends, and a roof overhanging the ends and sides of the trough and provided with spring clips for detachbly engaging said roof Supports.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses:

FRANK ENOS, JR. 

